A growing crime in the garden

At a time when there are suggestions about older homeowners downsizing it appears that while our homes may be more than just bricks and mortar, it's actually the garden that makes a house a home for today's over 50s with 44% citing the garden as one of its most important features. However, our horticultural havens can easily turn into a source of stress. One in twelve (8%) over 50s have had items stolen from their garden and Saga Home Insurance's own claims analysis shows that the average cost to replace stolen or damaged items is £620.

Gardens are hugely important to Britain's over 50s with one in eight (13%) stating they would not consider moving because of their garden. Half say their garden is where they relax (48%) and a fifth (18%) feel that their garden is an escape from the world.

Two thirds (67%) of all UK adults say they keep items ranging from barbecues and water features to a myriad of ornamental animals, pixies and gnomes in their garden and this figure increases to 78% for the over 50s. A quarter (24%) of gardeners over the age of 50 say they have over £250 worth of these items alone in their gardens.

Roger Ramsden, Chief Executive, Saga Services, commented: "People enjoy creating their perfect garden, often investing a great deal of time and money in doing so, and this is particularly prevalent in the over 50s. With the average garden insurance claim costing around £620 I would encourage keen gardeners to ensure they have the peace of mind of insurance cover for their precious garden possessions."

Interesting facts about contents of British gardens:

Garden gnomes cause particular conflict of opinion as 22% of people think they are fun but 40% find them tacky. Women are greater fans of the humble garden gnome (25% compared to 18% of men) and those in the North West and East Midlands are far more likely to own one (11%) than the national average (7%).

People in the North East are twice as likely to have ornamental pixies and elves in their garden (13%) as the rest of the country (6%)

The Welsh are partial to ornamental meerkats in their garden (11%) compared to the national average (4%)

The over 50s are much more likely to have ornaments and features (78%) than younger age groups (54%) their favourites include bird baths (36%), water features (20%), animals (16%) and gnomes and fairies (9%)

People in Yorkshire are four times as likely (13%) to have something stolen from their garden as those in the West Midlands (3%)